When you hear the word events, you will probably think of special moments. Especially when the event is centered around you, you tend to remember every single detail that happens. If you wish to have one of the best events ever hosted, you need lots of preparations ranging from the welcoming, ticket sales, performance, menu, invitation letters, transportation, etc. Everything has to be near perfect, which will last long in the memory of your customers.
As a Hotel owner, you think of the ticket revenue, customer retention, how to garner effective sales, managing the event, etc. In the hotel business world, the most profitable area is the event hosting by a Hotel. They provide huge profits but comes at the cost of stress. They will drain your resources, time, and attention. If care is not taken, it can lead to a huge loss if the events are not properly handled. The event you might have the biggest issue organizing is Wedding Events. It is a high risk, high stress, and high reward if done perfectly. You have to deliver a hundred out of a hundred and use every tool at your disposal to make it a grand event.
This article will provide the necessary information to host an amazing event. Hosting an event may seem daunting and exhausting for the first time, but you will survive with good organizational skills. So we will discuss below what we call the ‘Event Planning 101 guide to a successful event.’
1. Note and define your objectives
For every successful event, you need to have a clear plan/goal. Though, the plan may differ from the stakeholders of the event. It would be best if you had everyone, including the stakeholders, on the same page as you are. You ask questions that will give a clear insight into what they need to be successful. Questions like the following;
- Reasons for organizing the events
- Expectations from the events
- Measurement of success for the event
- If all stakeholders are present
Upon identifying the goals and objectives of an event, you will need to lay a strong foundation. Without a strong foundation, your event may end up being muddled and provoking guests and stakeholders. But when you organize an event that makes your stakeholders proud, you are bound to get more jobs. As you achieve goals, it is advisable to tick them off and do a review.
2. Responsibilities and roles should be assigned to individuals
Next on the list, when you have clearly defined plans and goals, assign roles and responsibilities to workers. You have to make sure everyone working for you is on the same page. It would be best if you had a well-structured plan and expectations from your workers. Each individual has to know when and what they will be doing during the event.
Also, these assignments of roles are usually done in the kickoff meetings held before work commences. It is advisable to let the stakeholders know about each work’s progress and keep everyone on the same page. Some events may require you to organize subcommittees who will have their supervisor. The structure should be clear and simple, and you will get a great event done.
Roles that can be assigned during the planning phase of an event;
- Programming
- Vendor Management
- Sponsorship
- Marketing
3. Budget
After assigning roles and responsibilities, the next major and important step is ‘Budget.’ Now, you have a good stance on establishing the event’s budget. You can seek out sponsors and other revenue streams to help with the cost of the event. This help may be monetary or in-kind, and the sponsors get publicity in return for what they give you.
So what expenses should you look forward to as an event planner? They include the following;
- You will need to add a budget for the venue if you don’t have a Hotel.
- You will need to budget for a decorator who will help with the designs. This is an important area, as it creates the needed atmosphere that matches your planned event.
- Programming will need a budget for its area. This includes things like keynote speakers, bands, etc.
- The food and drinks should be adequately budgeted for as a professional. This area is the toughest to deal with as you can either overspend or produce a poor result. It would be best if you were careful to balance everything out.
- The budget for advertisement and buzz generation.
- Budget for staff cost of working for you.
- Miscellaneous budget for unexpected expenses.
Also, you may need to add expected income, which will help in evaluating your profit. This expected income can be free tickets, but the free tickets have a value put on them.
4. Virtual options due to the pandemic
We are in a period where events can be held virtually. This global pandemic has affected the norms of events. The only silver lining that comes with it is, event planners can improve on the virtual experience.
As an event planner for a Hotel, you need to learn how to bring about the ingredients needed for virtual events. You can make it only a virtual event or a hybrid depending on what you have at your disposal.
5. Lockdown the logistics
There are always hours of time, sweat, and resources for every successful event planned. As an event planner, either for a Hotel or personal, you need to allocate at least three months lead time, with an ideal window of around 6months. When setting a date with stakeholders, make sure you set a date that won’t affect a rush work. Consider many factors when considering the date that will be picked, factors like the school calendar, holidays, competing for industry events, etc. You will need to catch up with your speakers if needed.
After picking a fee date in mind (one should always be the target and two backups). Next, you go through the venue shortlist and thin down your choices. You have to make sure the venue you pick can accommodate the guests for non-hotel owners. Venues can be sorted out quickly but date can’t, that is why you mustn’t miss the date.
6. A master plan for every problem
This document will be like your holy grail book. It will contain answers to everyone’s questions. It is the beginning and the end of your event. It has to be updated with each passing time. The master plan should contain the following items;
- The venue, vendor logistics, and catering
- Band, DJ, speaker, and entertainment management.
- An estimated timeline for each event.
- Signage and Printing
- Contact Information for new and existing vendors
- Programming, entertainment, and activities
- PR plan
This book saves your time from going through the whole process right from scratch. With this book, you already have a headstart for any event planning job. It is like your handy Wikipedia that you can go back to and get ideas.
Conclusion
Yes, event planning can be quite stressful and drain lots of energy and money, particularly when not planned properly. Therefore, being well organized is the antidote to having a successful event.
Events always stem from a peculiar goal, which must be held intact throughout the planning stages. Many specialists would ask event planners to think about the last event they attended, the goals for planning the event, and how much they were able to achieve through the event. This only signals the importance of the first step of the six steps in this article and must be followed duly.
In truth, following the above six steps would be perfect to have a well-planned and successful event. If you have any questions, you can contact us via our website as our customer care representatives would be available to attend to your inquiries 24/7.
